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IDL Scouting Reports - 2025
Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis
This year's IDL class looks like one of the better groups to enter the league in quite a few seasons. The class is led by Mason Graham (Michigan), a complete DT who can play in any system and be deployed all along the defensive line. Graham is a top 10 lock in April. This class has a quality group of one gap penetrators - Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Omarr Norman-Lott (Tennessee), Darius Alexander (Toledo), TJ Sanders (South Carolina), and Aeneas Peebles (Virginia Tech) - and big, run-stuffing forces - Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Joshua Farmer (Florida State), Deone Walker (Kentucky), and Cam Jackson (Florida). There is also a wealth of well-rounded prospects that are ready to contribute early in their careers - Derrick Harmon (Oregon), Tyleik Williams (Ohio State), Alfred Collins (Texas), and Junior Tafuna (Utah). The 2025 NFL Draft is a loaded class chock full of difference makers.
Positional Grade: A
Darius Alexander / Toledo
6’4” / 305 / 34” Arms / 82 & ¼” Wingspan
Looks the part of an NFL IDL with prototypical size, extremely long arms, and a huge wingspan. Knows how to use his reach to disrupt passing lanes. Displays a very strong punch that can stun the opposing OL. Very impressive quick twitch displayed at the snap – explosive burst. Plays low with good pad level. Strong and can anchor effectively in short yardage situations. Uses length well to set up the OL for an effective counter move – well-coached and ready to contribute early in the NFL. Excellent agility and lateral quickness. Skill set works well as an interior pass rusher or as a 5T in an odd front. Excelled at the Senior Bowl - an ascending talent who could work his way into the first round with a strong winter.
Darius Alexander / Toledo
Player Comparison:
Jordan Jackson / Denver
Simeon Barrow / Miami, Fl
Player Comparison:
Khalen Saunders / New Orleans
Simeon Barrow / Miami, Fl
Transfer from Michigan State. Looks the part of an NFL IDL with a wide base and frame, solid mass, and desired height. Adequate arm length and reach. Shoots out low at the snap and typically initiates contact. Athletic and light on his feet and is active in stunts and games. Very good agility for his size. Very hard worker in pursuit with a good motor. Knows how to get skinny, slice through the hole, and make the play in the backfield. Needs to improve hand fighting skills to shed blocks quicker. Good strength but when his pads rise, he can get washed out of the play.
Jamaree Caldwell / Oregon
6’2” / 342 / 32 & ½” Arms / 77 & ¾” Wingspan
Transfer from Houston. Average height with a wide base and excellent mass. Stocky frame made for NT duties. Good length with a sizeable reach. Primarily lines up on the center’s nose but sometimes shaded over his shoulder. When fresh, is a load to stop in the run game. Drives legs and pushes the center back with pure force. Very strong. Displays a powerful bull rush. Pads sometimes rise and he can get washed out of the play. Limited quickness and burst. Does not offer much as a pass rusher with a limited pass rush arsenal and quickness. Body type is prone to stamina issues and he is best used in a rotation.
Jamaree Caldwell / Oregon
Player Comparison:
Travis Jones / Baltimore
Howard Cross / Notre Dame
Player Comparison:
Junior Aho / Atlanta
Howard Cross / Notre Dame
Undersized lacking height, length, and mass. Son of former NFL TE Howard Cross (Giants). Quick twitch on display at the snap – great first step, fires out low with great pad level and leverage. Explosive burst through the LOS. Very good run and chase player. Very good closing burst on the QB. Lack of length and power exposed when run at. Very disruptive player who requires double teams consistently. Missed last three games of the season with an ankle injury but returned for the playoff game against Indiana. Will fit best in an even man front where he can shoot a gap and create havoc inside. Will need to get stronger to play on running downs in the NFL but his quickness and burst could make him an ideal sub-package interior pass rush specialist.
Joshua Farmer / Florida State
6’2 & 7/8” / 314 / 35 & ¼” Arms / 82 & ½” Wingspan
Prototypical physical dimensions for an NFL IDL with ideal size, grapevines for arms (longest arms measured at the Senior Bowl), and a massive wingspan. Possesses great anchoring ability and can shut down in the inside run lane with his natural strength and power. Very strong and physical player who displays a very powerful bull rush. Flashes a quick first step. Fires out low out of his stance, shoots his hands with force, and drives the IOL back regularly. Converts speed to power extremely well. Very effective hands fighter who can ragdoll OL with his length and grip strength. More effective against the run than pass and is overly reliant on his bull rush to generate pressure on the QB.
Joshua Farmer / Florida State
Player Comparison:
Kenny Clark / Green Bay
Mason Graham / Michigan
Player Comparison:
Zach Allen / Arizona
Mason Graham / Michigan
Prototypical height, frame, and mass – exactly how defensive coordinators, regardless if it is an even or an odd man front, want their interior defensive linemen to look like. Plays with a wide base and excellent bend. Very good quick twitch displayed – typically the first player to react at the snap. Very effective hands fighter - shoots strong hands to control the OL – and then sheds the block to secure the tackle. Strong and has a very good bull rush. Quick and agile and can slice through gaps in the line impressively for a man his size. Tough, strong, and quick enough to defeat double teams, which he faces on a regular basis. Lines up at Edge in certain alignments and does not look out of place, although he does not have the bend to play outside full-time. Must be planned for or he will destroy the blocking assignments of the IOL. Perhaps the most likely player in the 2025 NFL Draft to play up to expectations as a rookie. Top 10 lock in April’s draft.
Kenneth Grant / Michigan
6’3 & ½” / 342 / 33 & ¼” Arms / 81 & ¼” Wingspan
Extremely large man with the girth and height desired inside at NT. Large wingspan that he uses exceedingly well to disrupt passing lanes – displays great timing for throwing arms up and knocking down passes. Uses size well to anchor and shut down inside run lanes. Naturally powerful and can reset the LOS with an extremely strong bull rush. Extremely powerful grip strength and he can ragdoll the OL at times. Athletic and agile for his size and has surprisingly good range for his size. Enough length and agility to line up as a 5T in an odd man front or even shade over the A or B gaps as a 3T in an even front. Lacks much of a pass rush plan and needs to adds some moves to his arsenal. Needs to be used in a rotation to be most effective. First round talent that could go in the first 15 picks of April’s draft.
Kenneth Grant / Michigan
Player Comparison:
Vita Vea / Tampa Bay
Derrick Harmon / Oregon
Player Comparison:
Alim McNeill / Detroit
Derrick Harmon / Oregon
Transfer from Michigan State. Possesses prototypical size with a great frame, length, and mass – looks the part with the size and skill set to line up in numerous positions on the line, depending on the defensive front. Plays with natural leverage and power. Very good pad level and leg drive. Strength requires double teams on a regular basis. Displays a great first step. Very agile for his size with surprising range. Can get skinny and slice through gaps in the LOS – has a nice burst to get past the OL or finish the play. Strong and anchors well in short yardage situations. Effective hands fighter who works to shed using speed, power, and technique to get off the block. Reliable and durable. Flashes a nice club move to swat the ball away from the carrier. Very good motor and work ethic.
Tonka Hemingway / South Carolina
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Possesses the desired height, frame, and length for 3T or 5T but lacking some preferred mass and girth. Extremely quick with a great first step. When he wins, it is typically due to his elite burst. Very agile and mobile – dangerous in stunts and games. Needs to play with good pad level or his lack of size leads him to getting washed out of plays. Lacks some strength and power and can be dominated by a powerful OL. But his speed stresses OL and his non-stop motor aids his effectiveness.
Tonka Hemingway / South Carolina
Player Comparison:
Osa Odighizuwa / Dallas
Nash Hutmacher / Nebraska
Player Comparison:
Derrick Nnadi / Kansas City
Nash Hutmacher / Nebraska
6’2 & 7/8” / 314 / 31 & 3/8” Arms / 76 & 7/8” Wingspan
Ideal physical makeup for an IDL – built square with a great frame and mass for the position, although he is lacking some length and reach desired. Surprisingly quick off the ball – shoots low and balanced. Sheds blocks with strength and good hand use. Strong and efficient in shedding blocks. Persistent motor. Top ranked high school wrestler in the nation and wrestled collegiately at Nebraska, a traditional wrestling power. One of the best hands fighters in this draft and is a handful for OL to contain. Lack of length is evident in his propensity to get glued on a block and controlled more than he should. Generates pass rush from hustle, effort, and power. Not overly quick or elusive.
Jared Harrison-Hunte / SMU
6’3” / 291 / 33” / 79 & ¾” Wingspan
Transfer from Miami, Fl. Possesses the desired NFL height and frame but lacking some desired mass. Good length with a large reach. Possesses the physical profile to line up as a 5T in an odd man front or shaded over a gap in an even man front. Very quick with an explosive first step – very sudden and quick-twitched. Very dangerous as an interior pass rusher with the agility and burst to shoot gaps effectively. Excellent athlete with light feet and very good range. Needs to better utilize length to disrupt passing lanes. Lacks some desired power and strength and can get controlled by a strong IOL.
Jared Harrison-Hunte / SMU
Player Comparison:
Ross Blacklock / NY Giants
Cam Jackson / Florida
Player Comparison:
Jordan Davis / Philadelphia
Cam Jackson / Florida
6’6 & ½” / 339 / 34 & ¼” Arms / 83 & ¼” Wingspan
Transfer from Memphis. Mammoth man with rare size and length. Possesses an aircraft carrier wingspan and knows how to use that length to disrupt passing lanes at the LOS. Plays primarily NT for the Gators. Very good balance and is difficult to move. Although very large, not excessively so, and has excellent functional size. Naturally strong and possesses a powerful bull rush. Powerful grip strength. Good motor and hustles and chases hard in backside pursuit. Displays surprisingly good lateral agility and quickness. Strength can be neutralized when his pads rise and he fails to bend his knees, preferring to bend at the waist. Needs to add some moves to him improve his pass rush – too reliant on his bull rush to generate power.
Sai'vion Jones / LSU
6’5 & 1/8” / 289 / 33 & ½” Arms / 81 & ½” Wingspan
Outstanding size with the frame, mass, and length desired for lining up on the outside or shaded over a gap inside. Extremely long arms and reach that he uses well to disrupt passing lanes. Flashes suddenness at the snap – winning often with his first step. Very active and quick, especially from the inside lined up over a gap. Moves well with good range – can cover the short zone effectively. Very good closing burst on the QB or ball carrier. Light feet and has excellent mobility. Looks like an ideal 5T or gap penetrating DT.
Sai'vion Jones / LSU
Player Comparison:
Rashan Gary / Green Bay
Rylie Mills / Notre Dame
Player Comparison:
Lukas Van Ness / Green Bay
Rylie Mills / Notre Dame
Good combination of height, frame, mass, and length – ideal size for 5T and good size for DT. Great initial twitch displayed at the snap. Height can work against him – does not bend as well as desired. When he shoots low out of his stance, his quickness is superb. Excellent hands fighter – strong grip and use of moves to shed blocks. Uses length well to discard blocks. Knows how to get skinny and squeeze through gaps at the LOS. Very good agility and range to be used on twists and stunts. Flashes a powerful bull rush. Disciplined and smart. Injured in college football playoff game against Indiana which will impact his ability to work out in preparation for the draft.
Walter Nolen / Ole Miss
6’3 & ¼” / 293 / 33” Arms / 79 & ½” Wingspan
Transfer from Texas A&M. Former 5-star recruit and generally considered the top prospect in the nation. Excellent frame and measureables for a gap penetrating IDL – athletic frame, lean mass, and long arms with enough length and power to set up as a 5T in an odd man front. Very quick first step at the snap – as impressive of a first step as any IDL in this class. Often wins so fast at the LOS that he runs himself out of the play. Generates power through speed conversion and lacks the girth to shut down inside run lanes. Very good motor and effort – wants to be a great player. Plays with excellent bend and a wide base. Effective hands fighter – sheds blocks routinely and flashes great grip strength. Possesses a powerful bull rush. Needs to continue to improve his ability to anchor in short yardage situations – can get washed out of the play too easily in short yardage situations. Ascending talent who figures to be a better pro than college player.
Walter Nolen / Ole Miss
Player Comparison:
Jonathan Allen / Washington
Omarr Norman-Lott / Tennessee
Player Comparison:
Bruce Hector / NY Jets
Byron Murphy / Texas
6’1 & 7/8” / 295 / 33 & ½” Arms / 79 & ¾” Wingspan
Transfer from Arizona State. Possesses the desired height and frame with adequate mass. Excellent overall length with long arms and wingspan. Enormous hands (11 &1/8”) that he utilizes, along with his reach, to torque the OL, and shed the block. Sudden at the snap and can slice through gaps in the line – rare twitch and burst. Effective hand fighter who is strong and nasty. Very good finishing burst. Packs a powerful bull rush. Can be neutralized by a powerful IOL. Has played in a deep and talented rotation in Knoxville that has allowed him to be kept fresh to maximize the effectiveness of his game, that is predicated on speed and explosiveness.
Aeneas Peebles / Virginia Tech
6’ & 3/8” / 289 / 31 & ¾” / 77 & ¼” Wingspan
Transfer from Duke. Undersized lacking the height, frame, mass, and length desired at the position, although his reach is impressive relative to his height. Very twitched up and quick. Sudden at the snap – when he wins, it is with first step quickness. Strong and tough interior fighter who will battle and scrap inside. Effective hands fighter with a nice swim maneuver to shed blocks. Can be neutralized when run at and lack of size and length is exposed at times. Grandson of former Charger Pro Bowl IOL Doug Wilkerson.
Aeneas Peebles / Virginia Tech
Player Comparison:
Ed Oliver / Buffalo
Jordan Phillips / Maryland
Player Comparison:
Folorunso Fatukasi / Houston
Jordan Phillips / Maryland
6’1 & ¼” / 318 / 32 & ¼” Arms / 80 and1/8” Wingspan
Stocky, well-built frame with solid well-distributed mass. Despite average height, has long arms and a large wingspan. Very quick with light feet and excellent lateral agility. Very quick get off at the snap – often wins with his first step. Plays with good bend and leverage and flashes the ability to shut down the inside run lane. Flashes elite burst and athleticism but disappears for long stretches and has only 2.5 TFLs and zero sacks recorded over the last two seasons. Looks the part of a disruptive interior presence with the desired combination of size and athleticism but rarely impacts the game and is too easily neutralized.
Ty Robinson / Nebraska
6’4 & 7/8” / 296 / 32 & ½” Arms / 78 & ¾” Wingspan
Ideal height and frame with a solid, well-distributed mass. Ideal stature for 5T in an odd man front. Average arm length with a large reach that he uses effectively to disrupt the QB’s vision and passing lanes – ten passes defensed over the last two seasons. Displays a tremendous first step that stresses the OL from the snap to completion. Tremendous motor – effort and pursuit are ideal. Very good hands fighter and makes it very difficult for the OL to sustain a block. Strong and holds the POA well – sinks hips and battles. Very good closing burst on the QB and is adept at finishing the play and completing the sack.
Ty Robinson / Nebraska
Player Comparison:
Dean Lowry / Pittsburgh
Tim Smith / Alabama
Player Comparison:
Zach Sieler / Miami
Tim Smith / Alabama
6055 / 314 / 33.4” Arms / 80.2” Wingspan
Excellent size – desired height, frame, length, and mass for IDL. Plays with great bend and leverage. Anchors extremely well and is difficult to unroot in short yardage situations. Flashes a lightning fast first step. Possesses a powerful bull rush. Throws a strong punch with plenty of shock. Extremely strong and consistently squeezing down running lanes inside. Consistently requires double teams in the run game or he will reset the LOS and halt the inside run. Less impactful in the passing game and is overly reliant on his bull rush to generate power. Needs to use length better to knock down passes at the LOS. Old school, hard-nosed player who plays with a nasty attitude.
Junior Tafuna / Utah
6’2 & 7/8” / 303 / 32 & ¾” Arms / 77 & ½” Wingspan
Prototypical size – desired height, wide frame, and good mass. Good overall length with long arms and a sizeable reach. Strong, physical, and active – plays with a lot of energy and a nasty demeanor desired in IDL. Very effective hands fighter. Sinks hips and anchors well against the run. Hustles and chases hard from the backside. Intriguing combination of quickness, agility, and strength. Not overly productive as a pass rusher but has the physical tools to be molded into a better pro than college player.
Junior Tafuna / Utah
Player Comparison:
Dante Stills / Arizona
Jay Toia / UCLA
Player Comparison:
Fabian Lovett / Kansas City
Jay Toia
6’1 & ¾” / 339 / 32 & ½” Arms / 76 & 7/8” Wingspan
Transfer from USC. Excellent size, frame, and mass for IDL. Average length and reach. Plays with great bend and natural leverage. Nice twitch and get off at the snap. Very strong and holds the POA well – natural power can shrink inside run lanes. Powerful bull rush. Not overly quick or sudden and will not win via speed and finesse – not overly productive as a pass rusher. Best used in a rotation where he can be kept fresh – when he gets tired, his pads rise and he loses leverage.
CJ West
6’ & 5/8” / 314 / 31 & ½” Arms / 78 & 7/8” Wingspan
Transfer from Kent State. Below average height with a wide frame and very good mass. Arm length and wingspan are less than desired but a good length relative to his height. Plays with natural bend and leverage. Quick twitch displayed at the snap and his quickness is impressive. Strong and physical at the POA – plays low and is difficult to unroot in short yardage situations. Very effective hands fighter and sheds blocks well. Well-schooled and smart. Quick burst through the hole. Effective closing burst on the QB. Sneaky good athlete with good foot quickness to be used effectively in stunts and games. Quick with very good lateral agility that exposes IOL who lack it.
CJ West
Player Comparison:
Mekhi Wingo / Detroit
Deone Walker / Kentucky
Player Comparison:
Dexter Lawrence / NY Giants
Deone Walker / Kentucky
6’7 & ¼” / 340 / 34 & ½” Arms / 84 & ½” Wingspan
Rare size – huge frame with incredible mass. Huge wingspan (largest measured at the Senior Bowl) with natural strength and power. Consistently requires double teams and pushes the pocket with tremendous power. Does not play with great bend or leverage, allowing blockers to get underneath his pads – although his natural anchor makes it difficult to unroot him. Very light feet with excellent mobility – can work up and down the line and is effective on stunts and games. Very effective hands fighter who works to disengage from blocks. When he keeps his pads low, he can reset the LOS using sheer strength and force. But when his pads rise, he gets washed out of the play too easily. Stamina is a constant issue for Walker and he needs to be kept fresh to be most effective.
Desmond Watson / Florida
Unbelievable size – may be the largest man to play college football this century with extremely rare girth and mass. Is clearly carrying more weight than is beneficial and his lateral agility and movement skills are severely limited by his size. Stamina is an issue and reps need to be limited to be kept fresh and effective. Extremely strong and nearly impossible to unroot when he plays with good bend and pad level. Punch is very slow and placement imprecise. Incredibly strong grip strength and he can torque the opposing OL with pure force. Flashes a quick first step. Little pass rush production and his fitness is certainly a factor impacting his pass rushing ability.
Desmond Watson / Florida
